Agriculture is the ‘backbone’ of Solomon Islands’ economy and rural livelihood

Agriculture is the ‘backbone’ of Solomon Islands’ economy and rural livelihood.

• Agriculture is the ‘backbone’ of Solomon Islands’ economy and rural livelihood.

• 992 Islands, total land size of 27,547km2 and 0.62 per cent of the total land are arable and suitable for agriculture production.

• 87 % of the total land is under Traditional Land Tenure System

• 2009 Household Population census - 515,870, Males – 264,455,

• Females – 251,415, House Holds – 91,251

• GDP per capita: 2,800 US dollars

• Agriculture contribution to total GDP ranges from 35 – 42 % per annum

• Major earnings coming from exported agriculture commodities such as Cocoa Beans, Coconuts (Copra & Oil) and Palm Oil.

• Stress from TLTS has put pressure on food production, commodity export prospects and food security.

• Labor force by occupation in agriculture is 75%

• Agricultural commodity exports are still the major source of earnings to the country.

S.I is yet to conduct an Agriculture Census

• S.I is yet to conduct an Agriculture Census

• HH Population census (Every 10 yrs)

• HIES (5 yrs)

• Agriculture Rural Development Study

• Cash crop data – Cocoa, coconut, palm oil

• Agricultural and Forestry-themed National Minimum Development Indicators

• Weakness

• Consistency and cross-sectional

• Measurements and usage of data

• Weak partnership linkage between Ministries and other stakeholders

Input – output relationship (Productivity)

• Input – output relationship (Productivity)

• Production Vs Land use

• Population Vs Production

• Production Vs Soil fertility

• Production Vs Farming systems

• Trend Analysis

• Food production Vs utilization

• Designing Gov’t Policies, planning and decision making

Solomon Islands Information for Agriculture and Rural Development (SIIARD) will result in evidence-based policy, strategic planning, decision-making and implementation of agriculture and rural development programs with regard to:

• Solomon Islands Information for Agriculture and Rural Development (SIIARD) will result in evidence-based policy, strategic planning, decision-making and implementation of agriculture and rural development programs with regard to:

• Agricultural land use systems

• Areas of agricultural opportunity

• Areas of rural disadvantage

• Areas of climate-change induced food security vulnerability and adaptability

• Areas of Food Security and Nutrition, and

• Areas of and for economic growth and development

Funding

• Funding

• Agric. Census in S.I to be done before 2014

• Stand alone Project

• Questionnaire design

• The use of data in policy, planning and decision making

• Training – capacity building